Gauff Loses to Cocciaretto in Qatar Open Second Round

Coco Gauff, the fifth-ranked player in the world, suffered an early exit from the 2026 Qatar Open on Tuesday, falling in straight sets to unseeded Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the second round in Doha.

The 21-year-old American, who received a first-round bye as a top-eight seed, lost 6-4, 6-2 to the world No. 57 Cocciaretto, a lucky loser who entered the main draw after another player's withdrawal. It marked Gauff's third consecutive opening-match defeat at the tournament, extending a troubling streak that began in 2024. Cocciaretto, securing her third career victory over a top-10 opponent, converted four of her 12 break opportunities while Gauff committed 39 unforced errors against just 14 winners. Gauff landed 80 percent of her first serves and committed only three double faults, but her groundstrokes faltered under pressure from Cocciaretto's flat, aggressive returns.

This loss compounds Gauff's recent struggles, coming just weeks after a 6-1, 6-2 quarterfinal defeat to Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open, where she lasted only 59 minutes on court. In her post-match press conference, Gauff expressed frustration over the gap between her practice sessions and...